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United States Patent | 6,057,872 |
Candelore | May 2, 2000 |
Digital coupons are selectively transmitted in a communication network to subscriber terminals for promotional purposes. Subscribers automatically receive coupon credits when they meet the preconditions of the digital coupons. Free or reduced price pay-per-view (PPV) programming in particular may be provided when a subscriber purchases a given number of PPV programs at a regular price. The terminals maintain a running balance of available coupon credits and inform the subscriber via a user interface of the available balance. Subscribers can be rewarded for viewing commercial messages by awarding coupons which can be immediately redeemed for PPV programs. With an optional report back capability, terminal usage pattern data can be retrieved and analyzed by program service providers to determine the effectiveness of the promotions and to gather additional demographic and individual data. The integrity of the scheme is assured with encryption techniques.
Inventors: | Candelore; Brant (San Diego, CA) |
Assignee: | General Instrument Corporation (Horsham, PA) |
Appl. No.: | 890066 |
Filed: | July 9, 1997 |
Current U.S. Class: | 725/23; 725/8; 725/14; 725/37; 725/104 |
Intern'l Class: | H04N 007/10 |
Field of Search: | 709/217-219 345/327,328 348/6,7,8,3,1,10,12,13,2 455/4.1,4.2,5.1,52 |
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TABLE 1 ______________________________________ Syntax Size Description ______________________________________ COUPON.sub.-- PROVIDER.sub.-- ID 3 bytes Identifies coupon sponsor NEW.sub.-- COUPON.sub.-- CREDIT 3 bytes Absolute number of coupons for service provider in a month NEW.sub.-- COUPON.sub.-- DEBIT 3 bytes Absolute debit for service provider in a month COUPON.sub.-- CREDIT 3 bytes Total accrued coupons COUPON.sub.-- SEQ.sub.-- NUMBER 1 byte Epoch (time period) of coupon delivery ______________________________________
TABLE 2 ______________________________________ Syntax Size Description ______________________________________ COUPON.sub.-- PROVIDER.sub.-- ID 3 bytes Identifies coupon sponsor COUPON.sub.-- CREDIT 1 byte Coupon credit remaining ______________________________________
TABLE 3 ______________________________________ Syntax Size Description ______________________________________ COUPON.sub.-- ID 2 bytes COUPON.sub.-- ID + COUPON.sub.-- PROVIDER.sub.-- ID = unique coupon ID) COUPON.sub.-- PAYOUT.sub.-- 2 bytes Time period subscriber DURATION must view program to obtain coupon credit. COUPON.sub.-- RECORD.sub.-- 3 bytes Time period coupon is DURATION retained at terminal COUPON.sub.-- PROVIDER.sub.-- ID 3 bytes Identifies coupon sponsor ______________________________________
TABLE 4 ______________________________________ Syntax Size Description ______________________________________ COUPON.sub.-- DEBIT 2 bytes Number of accrued coupon debits COUPON.sub.-- PACKAGE.sub.-- ID 2 bytes Type of coupon for package program IPPV.sub.-- CREDIT 2 bytes Cash credit balance for pay-per-view PACKAGE.sub.-- PROVIDER.sub.-- 2 bytes Identifies service provider of ID package of programs PKG.sub.-- COST 1 byte Cash charge for package program PKG.sub.-- ID 1 byte Identifies package PROGRAM.sub.-- PAYOUT.sub.-- 1 byte Minimum time subscriber DURATION must view program to gain credit PROGRAM.sub.-- INFORMA- 2 bytes Video/audio data of TION program SHOW.sub.-- COUNT 2 bytes Count of shows purchased VH.sub.-- LIMIT 2 bytes View History Limit before report back is mandatory VIDEO PROVIDER ID 2 bytes Identifies service provider ______________________________________